Leather - covered bag-frames



(No Model.)

R. W. CHAPMAN. PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING IMITATION LEATHER COVERED BAGFRAMES.

NO. 300,763. Patented June 24, 1884.

N. PETERS. Pllolo-Lllluugmnher. wmm

UNrTED STATES PATENT 'rrioa.

ROBERT WV. CHAPMAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

.PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING IMITATION-LEATHER-COVERED BAG-FRAMES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,763, dated June 24,1884.

Application filed March 13, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Newark, Essex county, in the State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Imitation-LeatherCoveredTraveling-Bag Frames, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the same.

This invention consists in the process herein shown and described forpebbling or graining metallic bag-frames in imitation of leather,consisting in first pebbling the sheet metal by pressure, then cutting,bending, and working the same into bag or satchel frames, and,finally,in japanning the pebbled surface of such frames, as and for the purposeset forth.

The term pebbled is used herein with the same sense that is given to theterm pebbled or grained in the manufacture of bag and shoe leather-thatis, having a surface artificially embossed or raised to resemble thenatural grain or pitted surface of some animals tanned skin. By theprocess of pebbling one kind of leather may have the grain of anotherimpressed upon its surface, and by the means herein described the-ironframe of a bag may be pebbled so as to resemble any specified kind ofskin-as goat-skin, alligator or seal skim-and may retain its pebbledsurface much longer than a genuine-leather-covered frame.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the bag-frame for an ordinaryrailroad-bag. Fig. 2 is a sample of alligator-pebbling upon a corner ofsuch a frame. Fig. 3 is a sample of goat-skin pebbling upon an oppositecorner, and Fig. 4 a section of the pebbling-rolls.

The process of manufacturing my improved frames is as follows: I takethe sheet-iron of which the frames are to be constructed, and emboss orpebble its surface by pressure between rollers, as at A A in Fig. 4, Dbeing the iron, and A being represented as the pebblingroll, while A isshown with a smooth surface. When the sheet-iron has been thus embossed,it is bent and finished up into frames in the usual manner, and thenprovided with a coating of japan upon its surface, to protect the samefrom rust.

For certain kinds of grain, rollers engraved to match the grain atopposite sides of the sheet-iron may be used, for with such rolls as areshown at A and A greater pressure is required, because the impression isconfined to closely the proper kind of skin. When worked up into bags,such frames have qualities far surpassing the article they are intendedto imitate,while the process of manufacture reduces thecost-thirty-three per cent. by saving the cost of the covering-leatherand the labor of applying it.

The leather usually applied to the covering of bag-frames is very thin,and when subjected to wear tears and chips off in places, presenting avery unsightly appearance.

My pebbled metallic frames may be made so as to look well until the bagis entirely worn out, as the embossing of the iron and baking of coloredjapan thereon secures a finish that is almost indestructible. Theappearance of such frames is partly indicated in the drawings, by whichit is obvious that the grain pressed into the sheet metal is absolutelypermanent, independent of the colored coating that may be applied to it.It is also plain that the indenting or embossing of the sheetiron tendsto stiffen it, and thus renders it possible to secure the same strengthwith thinner metal.

In Fig. 1 creases B are shown formed along the edges of the frame in amanner common with real-leather-covered frames. Such creases may beformed in the metal by any suitable means, and thus effectively imitatetheleather patterns in common use.

I am aware that it is common to coat canvas and other fabrics with japanand emboss the surface in imitation of leather, and that one kind ofleather is sometimes grained or pebbled to imitate another kind. Thematerial used in the manufacture of bag-frames is, however, so hard thatthe coating of japan, baked v into a thin and brittle crust upon itssurface, would be entirely destroyed if subjected to the action ofgrained or pebbled rollers; and my invention therefore consists, first,in applying the embossing-rollers to the naked sheet metal,

then working the same into bag-frames, and bling' the sheet metal bypressure, then cutfinally japanning the embossed surface of such ting,bending, and working the same into bag frames. I therefore disclaim the'graining or or satchel frames, and, finally, in japanning I 5 pebblingof any material as a finishing operathe pebbled surface of such frames,as and 5 tion, especially after a coat of japan has been for the purposeset forth.

applied, as with enameled cloth or leather, and In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set restrict my invention to the use of my particumy handin the-presence of two subscribing lar process. witnesses. v I thereforeclaim as follows: ROBERT W. CHAPMAN. 10 The process herein shown anddescribed for Witnesses:

pebbling or graining metallic bag-frames in 'THOs. S. CRANE,

imitation of leather, consisting in first peb- O. G. HERRIoK.

